Sym-Bionic Titan is easily the most exciting show; the new series from Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky, it's described as a mix of "high school drama and giant robot battles," and centers around three aliens who try and escape their wartorn planet, only to become stranded on Earth. I foresee well-animated carnage ahead.

Sym-Bionic Titan – Mix Transformers with Glee – and subtract the singing -- and you may be in the ballpark of the theme of this show, which features some impressive animation. Three alien teens crash land on Earth and disguise themselves as high schoolers so they can protect us from alien invaders.

It was pretty neat, I really liked the aesthetics, even Sym Bionic the titular robot seemed really cool in the context of the show (as opposed to still images and that little preview that was posted before).

My belief got unsuspended a bit though when the giant monster mayhem got started... the city seemed like it sprawled forever and with the damage that brief fight caused, thousands upon thousands must've been slaughtered. And yet there were some people cheering from a rooftop somewhere nearby.

Decided to watch it for a second time, was a bit tired when I watched it the first time early this morning. It's fucking violent really, the human death toll has got to be huge, it's all subtly there without being graphic, the Pilot, the people on the roof etc. However the Samurai style complete motherfucking evisceration of the monsters body was sick and graphic.

The robot thing as Newton is ace, I want a Newton T-Shirt now!

And the Big Bad dude with the funny hat... that's some fucked up shit right there.

Don't see how they can ever top this episode without it seeming repetitive but I'll keep watching for a while at least

Episode 2 was pretty cool either and surprisingly violent. The villain even crushes someones neck in one scene!I still have one problem with it so far. It's probably a little bit early to tell now, but it seems like the show has trouble with it's half hour (=20 minutes) run time. It's like they are rushing through the main story, just to finally get to a huge fight in the end. And then the fight isn't even that huge, because, well...20 minutes. But like I said, it's a little bit early. We are just two episodes in, so they maybe will improve with this.

DerLanghaarige wrote:Episode 2 was pretty cool either and surprisingly violent. The villain even crushes someones neck in one scene!I still have one problem with it so far. It's probably a little bit early to tell now, but it seems like the show has trouble with it's half hour (=20 minutes) run time. It's like they are rushing through the main story, just to finally get to a huge fight in the end. And then the fight isn't even that huge, because, well...20 minutes. But like I said, it's a little bit early. We are just two episodes in, so they maybe will improve with this.

I totally agree. They really need to space out the battles every couple episodes. Maybe even dedicate one whole episode to a battle if they havent had one in awhile.

A fantastic ep. Like Samurai Jack, the villains and monsters are very unique. The cloud monster was very cool.

It was also a nice episode in explaining how Titan works, and that the three don't have all their shit together. It's the Spidey Web Shooter scenario. They could fuck up at any moment and die. Gives some depth to their fights.

Brendon Connelly wrote:What do you want first, the good news or the bad news?

Okay then, because you say so…

The bad news is that Genndy Tartakovsky‘s Sym-Bionic Titan is coming to an end. The TAG Blog quote a “Cartoon Network insider” who tells them that the show has been axed:

Genddy’s moved on to Sony Pictures Animation. Titan got competitive ratings with other action shows, but what shut it down was it didn’t have enough toys connected to it. If you don’t have the, the studios don’t want to renew for another season.

That is bad news. But the germ of the good news is in there too:

Genddy’s moved on to Sony Pictures Animation.

There’s more info in the comments attached to the same blog post. An anonymous user says:

Not to piss all over you TV peeps but the bigger story here is that Genddy is at Sony Pictures Animation on Hotel Transylvania. Hotel Transylvania has had more directors attached to it than I can count – David Fiess, Jill Culton, Chris Jenkins, Tony Stacci, and most recently Todd Wilderman (who walked off the project to head to DWA where he’s a story guy). WTF is going on with that project?

And despite their overwhelmingly negative tone, I think we’re looking at A Good Thing here. First of all, the project has a new director; secondly it’s a very capable, interesting, exciting director; and thirdly, Tartakovsky is back at work on a feature film again. It’s about time he made the move to the big screen, I think. I was very disappointed when his attempt to mount a sequel to The Dark Crystal was thwarted.*

Here’s an old blurb for the project, though it may be about to change under Tartakovsky’s watch:

A group of classic monsters including Frankenstein, the Mummy, Dracula and the Werewolf who are hiding out in a hotel on the outskirts of Transylvania now that 21st century technology has seemingly made them irrelevant.

Simon Van Helsing, the youngest in a long line of monster hunters. The last thing Van Helsing wants to do is fall in love with Dracula’s Daughter, Mavis. Upon discovering that they are natural enemies, the doomed couple attempts to bring peace between monsters and humans. In the end, each family will have some new blood.

So, it’s another variant on Romeo and Juliet but with monsters. It’s cliched, but I’m sure it can be executed well.

*Though I’m happy that The Spierig Brothers are on the case. Or were… it’s been a long time since we heard anything there…

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Little known fact about Dracula: he is not only the Prince of Darkness, but also the owner of Hotel Transylvania, a five-star resort for the world’s monsters. But for Dracula, it’s also where he protects Mavis, his teenage daughter. But when a curious young traveler discovers the hotel—and Mavis—the overprotective dad must use his powers of persuasion to keep her from falling in love.

Jeff Sneider & Andrew Stewart wrote:Adam Sandler is checking into "Hotel Transylvania," as Sony's go-to funnyman has signed on to voice the lead role of Dracula in Sony Pictures Animation's 3D family comedy.

Hotel Transylvania is Dracula's lavish, five-stake resort where monsters and their families can live it up, free from meddling humans. Pic boasts several of Sandler's regular co-stars in supporting roles, including Kevin James as Frank, aka Frankenstein, and Fran Drescher as his larger-than-life bride. David Spade will play Quasimodo, the former hunchback of Notre Dame who's now a gourmet chef, while Cee Lo Green will play Murray, a singing mummy. Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon will play Wayne and Wanda, a pair of married werewolves on a family vacation at the hotel, while Andy Samberg will play Jonathan, a 21-year-old regular guy whose world travels land him at the hotel, where he takes a shine to Dracula's teenage daughter, Mavis.

Veteran animator Genndy Tartakovsky will direct the pic, which is being produced by Michelle Murdocca ("Open Season"). Tartakovsky is best known for his work on "Samurai Jack," "Star Wars: Clone Wars" and "Dexter's Laboratory," though he also provided the stylish animated prologue for Screen Gems' "Priest."

"We're thrilled to be working with Adam to create a comedic Dracula for a new generation," said Michelle Raimo-Kouyate, Sony Animation's prexy of production. "We have a unique story about that iconic character...that re-imagines Transylvania and its legendary monsters in the way that only animation can."

Sandler's last animated pic was Columbia Pictures' 2002 release "Eight Crazy Nights," though he'll soon be heard voicing Donald the Monkey in "Zookeeper," which the studio releases on Friday. Sandler recently wrapped Sony's "Jack and Jill" and is currently filming "I Hate You, Dad," both of which he's also producing through his Happy Madison banner. Sandler is repped by WME and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Drew McWeeny wrote: Genndy Tartakovsky has long been considered one of the most promising voices in animation, so why is he shackled with this cast on his first big feature film? Sandler may be one of the most consistent live-action movie stars working today, but he hasn't proven that translates to animation. If Tartakovsky has to tailor his film to Sandler and his usual supporting cast of best friends who need easy paychecks, is he really the main creative force on the film? It seems like totally different sensibilities at work, and one of the biggest problems in animated films is when studios hire movie stars instead of voice actors, regardless of whether they are right for the part or not. I can't imagine Tartakovsky was praying for Sandler and James and Spade for his cast, but he's a talented artist, and the best case scenario here is that he gets something fresh and unexpected out of the cast. Worst case scenario? Did you actually see "Eight Crazy Nights"?

SPA's Facebook page - where the images surfaced - said: "No need to trick just yet as here's your morning treat: early designs of the character voiced by Adam Sandler in HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA."

Kevin James will play Frank – also known as Frankenstein – with Fran Drescher voicing Eunice, his in-your-face, over-the-top, and larger-than-life Bride. David Spade plays Quasimodo, once the hunchback of Notre Dame and now a crazy, passionate gourmet chef always looking for his next piece de resistance. Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon will play Wayne and Wanda, a pair of married, harried werewolves, parents to an ever-increasing litter of pups, who are looking forward to their family vacation at the hotel. Cee Lo Green is also joining the cast as Murray, a boisterous Mummy, once entertainer to the great Pharaohs, now the life of the party, and always feeling the urge to let loose and sing. Finally, Andy Samberg will voice the role of Jonathan, a 21-year-old regular guy, carefree and full of life, whose world travels land him at the Hotel.

The synopsis goes like this: Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Dracula's (Sandler) lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free from meddling from the human world. But here's a little known fact about Dracula: he is not only the Prince of Darkness; he is also a dad. Over-protective of his teenage daughter, Mavis, Dracula fabricates tales of elaborate dangers to dissuade her adventurous spirit. As a haven for Mavis, he opens the Hotel Transylvania, where his daughter and some of the world's most famous monsters – Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more – can kick back in safety and peace. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

Avi and Ari Arad will produce under their Arad Productions banner with Sony Pictures Animation. As of November, scribes David Ronn and Jay Scherick were attached to pen the script.

Popeye, the spinach-loving seaman who first appeared in the "Thimble Theater" comicstrip in 1929, spawned numerous spin-offs, including one of the longest-running series of animated shorts and Robert Altman's 1980 film starring Robin Williams.

SPA production prexy Michelle Raimo-Kouyate and production SVP Michael Lachance will oversee the project for the studio, which was keen to put Tartakovsky on another project soon after "Transylvania" wrapped. Sony will release "Transylvania" in September.

Tartakovsky is currently attached to direct a feature version of Cartoon Network's "Samurai Jack," which he also created.

Sony's toon arm has found success with "The Smurfs" and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," which grossed $559 million and $243 million worldwide, respectively. Both pics currently have sequels in the works.

Studio's most recent release,"Pirates! Band of Misfits" performed more modestly -- budgeted at $55 million, pic earned $104 globally.

Iain Blair wrote:A background in the quick-turnaround world of television animation helped "Samurai Jack" creator Genndy Tartakovsky turn Sony Pictures Animation's troubled "Hotel Transylvania" into a much-needed hit for the studio, scaring up $270 million worldwide and counting.

The project had already been through five directors and years of pre-production when Tartakovsky came aboard in February 2011, giving the director just 18 months to get the film into shape for its projected pre-Halloween release date.

"They'd done the designs and backgrounds, so my challenge was to give it a tone and direction and have it make sense with all these existing different assets," says Tartakovsky, who added the father-daughter dimension to the high-concept "hotel for monsters" idea. He also had to win over the film's very hands-on producer and star, Adam Sandler. "Adam's used to working with his regular team, so I had to prove myself," he says.

Time served in the trenches at Hanna-Barbera and the Cartoon Network gave the brain behind such shows as "Dexter's Laboratory" the confidence he needed to accept the challenge. "I'd made so many mistakes over the years, I now had the training and experience to handle this," says Tartakovsky, who's now set to direct a 3D animated version of "Popeye" for Sony. "I'm also developing an original idea: a family comedy I'll write and direct."

DAVID WEINER wrote:Break out that can of spinach… With Hotel Transylvania under his belt, veteran animation director Genndy Tartakovsky is busy at work developing a new, 3D, big-screen take on the classic Popeye cartoon, and he tells ETonline that he plans to make the character more "contemporary" while keeping the action "really cartoony" with plenty of "physical comedy."

"Basically it's kind of taking the Popeye that I grew up with, that I think we all grew up with, and definitely making him contemporary -- but still retaining everything that we loved about him from the past," says the 43-year-old director of such animated hits as Star Wars: Clone Wars, Samurai Jack, The Powerpuff Girls and Dexter's Laboratory, adding, "It's fully CG-animated."

The pipe-clenching, eye-squinting, spinach-loving sailor man first appeared in the Thimble Theater comic strip in 1929 and quickly gained popularity with his own series of cartoon shorts and spinoffs. Director Robert Altman even attempted an offbeat, live-action version of the cartoon in 1980 starring Robin Williams – and his Popeye was not a big fan of the potent leafy greens.

"It's a groundbreaking show, the kind of animation they did, and it's really imaginative," says Genndy of the classic series. "So we're starting with that style of animation and kind of updating it the way it would feel today, but [the original cartoons are] definitely the influence. … It's funny and inventive the way they moved, and I think we're so far away from that now. How often have you watched something and laughed at the way someone walks?"

The Russian-born director's animated feature debut for Sony Pictures Animation, Hotel Transylvania, was full of non-stop cartoon movement and mayhem balanced with a solid emotional foundation, and he explains of taking on Popeye, "Really the whole reason I wanted to do it was a physical comedy – a physical animated comedy where the action is really cartoony, the acting's cartoony -- it's going to have heart and emotion, but it's really about the animation, and that's where the humor comes from, rather than the dialogue."

Of course, spinach is the source of Popeye's super strength when it comes to battling his nemesis Bluto and the bad guys, and Genndy promises, "It comes in pretty early. He doesn't realize it's given him powers, and then later he connects it. But it's definitely a huge part."

Borys Kit wrote:Not content to let Disney Animation or DreamWorks Animation hog the spotlight, Sony Pictures Animation is ready to make some waves of its own as it ramps up a trio of projects it will release in the next two or three years.

SPA is betting big on Genndy Tartakovsky, the popular animator behind Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, who is working on two of the three projects.

Tartakovsky, who already directed Hotel Transylvania and is deep into Popeye for the company, is continuing his relationship with SPA by not only signing on to direct Hotel Transylvania 2 but by also developing a new original creation tentatively called Genndy Tartakovsky’s Can You Imagine?

The plot is being kept deep in the recesses of the mind, but it is described as a fantastic journey through one boy’s imagination. Michelle Murdocca, who produced Hotel Transylvania, is producing Can You Imagine?, which Tartakovsky is writing and will direct.

“When he comes up with a great idea, of course you want to listen to it,” says Bob Osher, the president of Sony Pictures Digital Productions who initially brought Tartakovsky to work on the first Hotel Transylvania.

Tartakovsky is working on Can You Imagine? as he tackles directing duties on Hotel Transylvania 2, which is being written by Adam Sandler and Robert Smigel and has a release date of Sept. 25, 2015.

All this while still working on the company’s Popeye, which is in production for a release sometime in 2016. Osher believes that Tartakovsky’s past in television prepared the animator to juggle a film workload: “In the world of television, they work on multiple episodes simultaneously while also keeping an eye on an entire season. He’s used to, and likes, a high level of workload.”

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Jim Hill wrote:Everyone knows that Popeye is " ... strong to the finich 'cuz he eats his spinach."

But what was this Sailor Man like before he discovered that those leafy greens gave him amazing strength? And what were Popeye's early days at sea like? And where exactly did he get that anchor-shaped tattoo?

That's what Genndy Tartakovsky aims to find out with that feature-length Popeye project that he's currently developing for Sony Pictures Animation.

"Popeye holds a special place in my heart," Tartakovsky explained during a recent conversation. "When my family and I first moved to the United Stated from Russia in the 1970s, Max Fleischer's black and white Popeye cartoons were among the very first pieces of animation that I got to see while watching television. And I just loved how physical they were, how wild the humor was in those shorts."

"To be honest, I think that it was those black and white Popeye cartoons that put me on the path to becoming an animator," Genndy continued. "And -- of course -- it didn't hurt that, when I finally went to film school, one of my animation instructors was Gordon Sheehan, this 90 year-old who had actually worked on some of these black & white Popeye shorts when Fleischer Studios was still based in New York City."

So imagine Genndy's reaction when he was approached by Sony Pictures Animation as he was wrapping up Hotel Transylvania to come direct a Popeye feature film.

"Don't get me wrong. I really enjoyed working on Hotel Transylvania. And my team and I are having a great time right now working on Hotel Transylvania 2, " Tartakovsky stated. But I can't wait to get my shot at making a movie about Popeye."

So what would a Genndy Tartakovsky version of a Popeye movie be like? He describes this yet-to-officially-be-greenlit project as "a film that would have the same sort of crazy physical humor that we put into Hotel Transylvania. Only this movie would have 10 times as many physical gags."

Through the script for this film is still being written, Genndy clearly envisions his version of a full-length Popeye animated adventure as being an origin story. It would feature Popeye having run-ins with his classic nemeses, Bluto and the Sea Hag. Not to mention cameo appearances by that memorable moocher, Wimpy.

"And while the Fleischer shorts had a lot of great dialogue -- I actually picked up a lot of bad grammar from watching these cartoons as a kid," Tartakovksy laughed. "The movie that I'd really like to make here would have half the dialogue that you typically have in a full-length animated feature. I'd really like the physical humor, the uniquely comical way that these characters move -- the sort of stuff that you can only really do in animation -- carry this picture."

Are you not quite clear on what Genndy is looking to do with his Popeye project? Here. Below is a ... Well, it's not a test for this proposed movie. Nor is it a scene from the finished film. It's more of a window into the world that Tartakovsky wants to take us to. A place where a version of Popeye exists that would appeal to contemporary audiences while still being respectful of this film's original source material. Which is those great black and white shorts that Max Fleischer Studios churned out from 1935 to 1940.

And you wanna know the amazing part (and no, I'm not talking about Eugene the Jeep)? It's that -- after you finishing watching this piece of nearly finished animation that Genndy and his team put together -- you're going to think, "What a great three-minute-long clip."

But here's the thing: That Popeye clip is really only 1 minute and 15 seconds long. Tartakovsky crammed so much comedy and action into this short sequence that it seems longer. Which means that a full-length animated feature that took this approach to Popeye would be a real feast for the senses. An everything-INCLUDING-the-kitchen-sink celebration of comic mayhem.

"Don't worry. I'd still like my Popeye feature to have a lot of heart," Genndy said. "There's still his relationship with Olive Oyl and his Dad to explore. But what I'm really looking to do here is take what made those old Max Fleischer shorts great and then create the sort of film that contemporary audiences could enjoy. Show them the version of Popeye that I fell in love with when I was a kid."

So when does this highly promising motion picture officially begin production? Well, as I stated earlier in this article, Sony has yet to lock a release date. In fact, the last time this studio updated its release schedule, Popeye had slipped from being a 2014 release to a 2015 release.

"I'm kind of hoping that the reaction from animation fans will be so loud and so strong that Sony will be eager to put Popeye into production," Genndy continued. "That way, once we finish working on Hotel Transylvania 2, we just move on over and begin working on Popeye. And then have that film out in theaters in a year or two."

Which -- you have to admit -- is a pretty bold move by Hollywood standards. But Popeye is clearly a passion project for Tartakovsky.

So if you like what you see in this Popeye proof-of-concept, why not help make Genndy's dream a reality by sharing this footage with a few Facebook friends? Or -- better yet -- tweet this story out so that Sony will then realize that there really is an audience out there for a movie whose title character says things like, "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam."

ADAM CHITWOOD wrote:Sony Pictures Animation has been working on a new Popeye movie for a while now. They signed Hotel Transylvania director Genndy Tartakovsky to bring the concept to life, and last fall we got a look at the first footage from the CG rendering of the famous comics strip character. At that time, a 2015 release for Popeye seemed likely. That doesn’t appear to be true anymore, though, as the film has lost a key component: its director.

Speaking with Moviefone, Tartakovsky revealed that he’s no longer working on Popeye after some creative disagreements with Sony over the direction of the picture:

“We put up a great screening, everybody really liked that sizzle, we got a positive reaction. I was in love with what we were doing, but I think the studio is going through changes and I don’t know if they want to make the Popeye that I want to make. So they’ve got to make a decision. Right now, I’m off that project and moving on to the other one that we soft-announced, which is Can You Imagine? which is an original idea of my own and a very personal story. It was hard to let Popeye go, but that’s the business.”

Brandon Davis wrote:Speaking to him yesterday, Tartakovsky opened up about what could bring him back to television after making the jump into feature films. "I think through the years, after we finished Jack, almost every year it seems like Samurai Jack has gotten more and more popular and more and more people have seen it," Tartakovsky explained. "I feel like it's culminating to a fever pitch almost. I feel like it's time to maybe finish the story. We've been trying to get the feature off the ground but maybe that's just fate's way of saying this is a television thing and maybe it should be a mini-series or something like that."

In agreement, I told Tartakovsky, I (like many of you, I'm sure) can see a Samurai Jack movie coming along in the future. "Yeah, I could too - just nobody else in Hollywood can," he chuckled back at me.

Beatrice Verhoeven wrote:Tartakovsky’s comments are surprising, as both films starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Selena Gomez, Steve Buscemi and David Spade have grossed an estimated $200 million thus far domestically, and the sequel has been in release a total of four days. But Tartakovsky wants to focus on other projects, such as the animated film “Can You Imagine?”

What happened with “Popeye?” We made a version that we were happy with, and the studio didn’t like that version. It’s still a mystery for me that they didn’t like that version. They wanted to do “Popeye” for the brand recognition and I loved the character and grew up with it, so there was a tug of war. They wanted it really updated, and I can only update it a little before it isn’t “Popeye” anymore. To be truthful, it was in the middle of the Sony hack and the studio was really struggling. It was just really bad timing.

Amid Amidi wrote:The Animation Guild blog hinted at the likely cancellation of Popeye in a blog post yesterday, saying that Kristine Belson “is likely itching to put her own stamp on SPA, so look for some previously-announced pictures to be pushed back….or pushed overboard.”

Amid Amidi wrote:Those who saw Belson’s presentation were not impressed, like Andrew Sims of Hypable, who wrote that, “We got a Wreck-It Ralph vibe from the preview and don’t expect this one to be very good.”

DREW MCWEENY wrote:HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3—the follow-up to Sony Pictures Animation’s highest grossing film in the U.S. and the biggest opening ever for a domestic September release —is scheduled to hit theaters September 21, 2018. Director Genndy Tartakovsky (DEXTER’S LABORATORY, STAR WARS: CLONE WARS), who returns to helm this brand new adventure, says, “I thought I was done exploring the world of HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA after the first two films, but while I was away from the franchise finishing my TV show SAMURAI JACK, an idea sparked that I got really excited about and made it irresistible to return and helm myself this third adventure.” Michelle Murdocca is back producing, with Adam Sandler executive producing, and Michael McCullers (AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME, BOSS BABY) writing the screenplay. Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg will be returning as the voices of Dracula, his vampire daughter Mavis, and her human husband Johnny.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: THE TELEVISION SERIES is targeted for a 2017 airdate. The animated television series, produced in partnership with Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, will focus on the teenage years of Mavis, Dracula’s daughter, and her friends. It will be airing on the Disney Channel worldwide.

DREW MCWEENY wrote:THE STAR (working title) is scheduled for a December 8,2017 theatrical release. The computer-animated feature is directed by Oscar nominee Timothy Reckart (HEAD OVER HEELS); executive produced by DeVon Franklin, Lisa Henson, and Brian Henson; co-produced by Jenni Magee Cook; and written by Carlos Kotkin and Simon Moore. In The Star, a small but brave donkey and his animal friends become the unsung heroes of the greatest story ever told, the first Christmas. Sony Pictures Animation produces in association with The Jim Henson Company.

The Small One is a 1978 American animated featurette produced by Walt Disney Productions and released theatrically by Buena Vista Distribution on December 16, 1978 with a Christmas 1978 re-issue of Pinocchio. The story is based on a children's book by Charles Tazewell and was an experiment for the new generation of Disney animators including Don Bluth, Richard Rich, Henry Selick, Gary Goldman and John Pomeroy.

The story tells of a young boy, outside Nazareth, who must part with his best friend, an old donkey named Small One. He brings it to market, but no one is in need of a "scrawny donkey", except for a tanner.